All for You
by KayInSpringtime
Summary: Summary: Ichabod spies on Abbie while she's sleeping; she provides insight about what she really thinks of him. Abbie wakes up to find Crane in her bed. The witnesses try to sort out their thoughts. Things get ugly... then they get better.
1. Uncovering Her & Crossing Borders

Title: All for You

Pairing: Ichabod Crane and Abbie Mills (Ichabbie)

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: Part One: Ichabod spies on Abbie while she's sleeping; she provides insight about what she really thinks of him. Part Two: Abbie wakes up to find Crane in her bed.

Note: I wrote this after re -watching the Porch Scene again and listening to Tracy Chapman. So, I'm wondering if I should continue with it, but anyways here's part one and two. Yes, I am aware of the way I spelled Lieutenant, the way he says it (because I like it). I don't care about it's proper spelling. Sorry if that is an annoyance but it's staying that way.

* * *

 **Part One – Uncovering Her**

Every few nights he crosses the hallway, holds his breath as he turns the doorknob. Slowly Ichabod makes his way to the right side of the bed. It's 1 am. The street light shines through her window illuminating her features as the golden light dances upon her skin.

He couldn't have imagined a more complex individual if he tried. He always knew Abbie had to be in control and her level of self-restraint is admirable but he wished that she would tell him. Tell him every miserable thought his absence plagued her with.

To talk freely again, it's what they both needed, to say the words out in the open not in the still of night when she subconsciously didn't have her guard completely up. Cringing as he looks up from his seat on the floor, she always looked so unsettled sleeping, until he touches her. Abbie's body stills, her ragged breaths become even.

She acknowledges his presence as the words come out in small breaths, her lips tremble as they form a small frown and her hands quake as she shifts uncomfortably. The strap of her sheer nightgown is off of her shoulder nearing her elbow crease, the neckline awkwardly lies under her taut nipple exposing the tender flesh of one of her breast.

It is in these wee hours that he cradles her in his arms as he listens to her tell him how much she despises him, how disappointed she is. That he didn't live up to the bond that they share. How he, as she frankly put it a few nights before "You Bitched Out"

"If I could hate you ... I try so hard, to hate you" she mumbled "You come back like it's ok, coward"

"You make me sick"

"Wish I didn't miss you"

Her eyes fluttered open but he deciphers from their glassy appearance that she is still away in dream land. Still dreaming dreams.

"Don't let her break you anymore. Didn't save your ass for this."

"She don't own you."

She always ends her ranting the same way.

"Mine" she says.

His reply is always the same, a small kiss in the palm of her hand. Sometimes she flinches as he nears her. He climbs over to her trying not to jostle the bed too much. He cannot help but admire her as his long legs easily climb in next to her tiny sleeping frame. He settles in beside her underneath the covers. Abbie takes his provided warmth in greedily as she allows herself to be held. Her face snuggled ever so closely to his chest, nearly skin to skin.

Ichabod's fingertips brush against her smooth shoulder as his thumb catches the tiny silk strap as he devours the sight of Abbie's bare silken flesh. There's warmth pooling in his core as his eyes rake over her, the streetlight from the window providing a dim glow as he tries to push away the thought of his lips on her naked skin.

 _What would she taste like? How would her face appear under his administrations? Would she then become unhinged?_

He wanted to kiss her face until her eyes were awake with shock and lust, wanted hear his name spring out from her lips. He wanted to be the strong one, just for see that smirk again, the real satisfaction that he had seen so long ago after their first encounter when they stole the horseman's head. He wanted to be the center of her joy instead of her laments.

How, how on earth they got to this point, he wondered.

Shaking away his thoughts of desire, Ichabod began to push the little night shirt strap upward. As Abbie emits a small moan when the material brushes against her taut nipple, he licks his lips and moves the strap back to its proper place.

As Ichabod's exhaustion over takes him, the last thing he feels is her small frame as she inches closer to him, her small palm upon his chest.

* * *

 **Part Two- Crossing Borders**

She feels strong warm arms around her. Her eyes flutter open. It's just after 6 am. Her cheek lies on the soft hair of his chest, such a familiar scent of peppermint and dove soap, the only type he wasn't allergic to. Her eyes go wide with shock. Abbie puts her hands upon his chest. Crane was so relaxed, he looked innocent. His face was had a small upturn at the corner of his lips and his arms were holding her close every inch of their bodies was entwined with one another. He held her, like nothing in the world could separate them.

 _Why didn't you stay?_

She moves hesitantly, as she's greeted with his need pressing into her thigh. His long leg is over her, she is pent right underneath him. She can feel every inch of his morning soldier through his yoga pants.

 _Fuck, Crane._

 _H_ e's rock solid nice long and thick. She bites her lower lip at the feel of him against her. She moves her thigh a little more enjoying his reaction. His goofy smile increases as she starts to move his leg twitches a bit, until she stops. His frown is instantaneous.

 _Crane damn, your ass full of surprises._

"Crane" she whispers _._

 _I should shove his ass, right onto the floor? Why are you here?_

Abbie slowly untangles her body from his. As her thighs shifts underneath him again, a rumble of approval erupts from his chest. His smile re-emerges as his hands squeeze her tighter, closer to him. She pauses against him, lets him get comfortable enough, just enough not to wake him. He whimpers as she slips out of the bed.

She takes a seat on the floor, watching him.

 _What the fuck is he doing?_

 _Didn't we talk about boundaries, didn't we agree. Fences, remember that asshole._

Abbie didn't have to wait long; it was as if he missed her warmth. He moved slowly, stretching his long frame. He awoke with a yawn as his eyes blinking rapidly at the sight of her looking up at him from the floor.

"Abbie" he jumped at the sight of her.

"What the fuck are you doing in here, Crane?"

Crane replied with a sad look and a bow of his head.

"Don't act like you didn't hear me."

"Leftenant, I... I"

"Why were you in this room, in my bed? Were you spying on me?"

"No. No, not entirely, I just wanted to make sure you where home safe. I didn't see you get in last night." He moved just enough to uncover everything.

"Crane, take the pillow."

"Pillow, what ... pillow"

"Crane" she says as her eyes are glued to one spot. Following her lingering gaze he looks down at his arousal and quickly snatches the pillow towards him as he covers his Captain.

"Apologies, Leftenant, I ... I ... it's morning."

"Yeah, imagine how I felt, waking up under you" His mouth twitches at her statement.

"I have a meeting at court soon and I should get prepared" He deflects.

"Crane, this is so not over. Not even close."

"Abbie,"

"I have to be at the office soon. Tonight we're going to talk, just me and you over takeout. I want the truth Crane."

"I said,"

"Yeah, you lied. You talk about our bond, well you wrote the check and your ass better be able to cash it. Be home by seven"

"Yes, Leftenant" He nods.

Abbie looks disappointed as she says "Get the fuck out" and she shakes her head, turning her face away from him.

She hears the squeak of her Brazilian floors as he walks out. He leaves the room. He doesn't fully close the door, she hears him yell obscenities.

* * *

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	2. Hurt Like Me

Note: Part Three - "Hurt Like Me" is mainly the inner thoughts of Ichabod and Abbie before they discuss the changes in their relationship, as well as the beginning of the actual discussion that will be concluded in Part Five –"Let Me In"(Part Two).

They both had time apart, Abbie at her office and Crane at the archives. This is also due to Chapter Four and Five, "Let Me In" being mostly dialogue.

Hope you enjoy it

\- Kay

* * *

 **Part Three – Hurt Like Me**

 **(Ichabod POV)**

Ichabod sighed as he closed General Washington's Bible and pinched the bridge of his nose. Usually the text would evoke some feeling of comradery from his past companion but today it was just another hefty reminder of what was most dear, his Leftenant.

Their Bond

Their calling as the two witnesses ordained by God himself

The promises he made

The trust they shared he had caused great harm

Her inability to open up.

How her eyes were always filled with compassion, strength, intelligence and lately more than anything resentment towards him.

 _Will she ever just let me in?_

His inability to be the partner, the man that she truly deserved

 _All things Abbie._

The weight of things, it all seemed to throw them so out of sync.

It was just after 5 pm and throughout the day Ichabod had been struggling to focus on anything. His mind was stuck in a wretched loop, between Abbie and Pandora, the same questions kept plaguing his mind.

Is Abbie alright, was she thinking of him, did she like being held in his arms?

What was Pandora planning for them next?

How could did they fit into her warped conjuring for world domination or as she would explain it world purification?

Is Pandora manipulating them trying to turn them against each other? Why didn't she kill them when she had multiple chances to do so?

Is Pandora trying to cripple their relationship, even more so than it already is? Was she inviting them to stand by and record the catastrophic events as the world fell into ruin? Did she truly believe they would make that choice?

Why now?

What was Abbie doing, was she still angry, was she just as ravaged as he was by the events that took place this morning or was she at home in her office, in complete control?

Did they even know how to be honest with each other anymore? Would they even try to lessen the gap that sprung up between them? Could they?

Tonight's conversation was weighing heavier on him with each passing moment. He couldn't concentrate on the Sumerian inscriptions on the tablet anymore, Washington's Bible failed to comfort him and not even the incantations and spells written by his good friend Mrs. Grace Dixon within the pages of her journal did the job.

The journal, every time he looked at it he just remembered Abbie, her delicate scent, her wispy little moan, her resilient walls, her warmth.

How she felt underneath him and how she looked at him, how every glance she had given him that morning was filled with frigid hostility and disappointment that was usually held back by a her modesty and the bond they share as friends.

What bothered Ichabod was that he had been foolish enough to get caught, as much as they needed to discuss this fragile state between them, he could honestly say, he was terrified.

He didn't want to go to war, but deep down he'd known it was coming. He felt it since being locked in that blasted vault with her. They had said so much but so little.

 _Is it my fault?_

 _I was the one who left._

 _I was the one who ruined everything._

 _Is that how Abbie thinks of me, am I that man, the captain kneeling on the ground, crying out for her to save me from my past, again?_

 _Am I still broken as she uttered under the fragile state of slumber?_

 _Am I worth it, do I deserve to be saved, do I even want to be can I ever stop loathing myself for what I've become?_

 _Deep down I just wanted someone else to hurt like me? I never thought it would be her, I wish it wasn't her..._

It seemed to be an innumerable amount of questions which he dreaded the answers to. But what he dreaded most would be sitting across from his Leftenant at 7 pm sharp.

 _He would not be absent, not this time._

They both needed to know the truth they both had a right to know the ins and outs of things.

Tonight, they would begin to heal and with all healing comes pain and discomfort.

Ichabod's hand slid from his face, it was nearly time to gather his coat and head the home.

* * *

 **(Abbie's POV)**

Pulling into her driveway, Abbie motioned to remove the key from the ignition but for some reason the damn thing just kept getting jammed. After her third attempt at key removal, the key finally slipped from the ignition.

Today had been pure hell on top of all that car trouble and she ended up thinking of him all day, Thanks to Dani, the nosy little forensic specialist, asking about him first thing in the morning as if it was her damn business to know his whereabouts 24/7.

"Abbie, hi"

"Hi Dani"

"I just wondering how your roommate is fairing, is he adjusting well to the

"Hello, Jenny, Abbie said as she placed her hand on her Bluetooth ear piece, I'm at work, yes I think ... Dani I'm so sorry, it's my sister, I've got to take this."

"Oh, Of course" She said as Abbie made a bee line for her office.

Well that was one for the records with everything going on she had to resort to the fake family emergency phone call to Jenny. Just to be safe she called her and let the phone ring twice and quickly hung up.

Crane, her day begun with him

She still could not believe she woke up to Crane in her bed, he smelled like Christmas morning due to the mint tea he often drank at night, relaxing he said it was calming for him.

She remembered his goofy boyish grin, how deflated he looked when she pulled away from his warm body.

How the loss of her woke him up. How his face fell into sadness when she took her warmth right out of his arms.

 _Am I wrong for my pettiness?_

 _Is it bad, that I wanted to see him yearn for me? He should, after all I've done for him, and he should hurt like that, hurt just like I did._

The only saving grace of the day was that she was stuck in meetings about the anaconda case and later in her office doing paper work for most of it and not out in the field.

She had a feeling that if she ran into Johnny he wouldn't be so compliant to tell her any more useful information again. She probably would've given him a tougher time than he deserved. He wasn't what was underneath her skin, her roommate Ichabod Crane was.

The Captain from the past.

She could see in his eyes, bravery, compassion, strength, cocky intelligence all those things were still there in 1781. But what wasn't there was this self-loathing pain of 2015.

Even then she could see herself in his eyes.

Even now, but it seems like so much has happened, like Ichabod was somehow ashamed of being exposed, like he didn't want her to see it. Why? Why won't he just open up to me, let me all the way in?

 _Will he ever let me in, do I even want to be in, am I already in too deep with him?_

 _And if he opens that door, am I ready to enter, to be all in with him to share everything, I've never shared everything with anyone, not even Jenny._

Abbie felt pressure from all directions.

She hated these feelings. Abbie hated being so out of control. She wondered why she always ended up fixing things.

The broken promises he made

The trust between them that had become so mangled

How he hoards his pain instead of sharing it. How he ran away from home, _away from me_

The Bond

Being witnesses, our whole entire relationship, is that all that drives us, are there no other forces between us?

 _Maybe we shouldn't talk about what happened, maybe we're both better off not knowing anything else._

As soon as the thought entered her head she leaned back in her leather chair took a long stretch and shook her head.

Every muscle in her body seemed tense. A chronic symptom of Crane on the brain, a condition that she had become too well acquainted with over the last 3 years.

 _I don't know what to do_

That's the problem.

There was a pattern here that she was to blame for, she always let him do this.

Abbie let him get away with doing things that hurt her whether intentional or not, she let him do it and she always let it slide but not this time. Today it would stop.

 _No more coddling, no more, Not tonight. Fuck that._

 _Let's just go to war_

 _Let's just blow down both our little gingerbread houses_

 _Put our cards out front and center_

Abbie shook her head as she exhaled a deep breath, a breath she had been holding since she got that call to visit him in jail. Tonight, might bring freedom for both of them but they would have to fight for that liberty.

They would have to battle each other for the truth and no matter how much she wanted the truth, she knew it would hurt.

She knew in the morning they would both be left with an abundance of scars from their salted wounds.

 _Bring it on_

* * *

Stepping out of her SUV, Abbie grabbed the takeout from a local Italian place as she shut the door behind her.

She started towards the front door.

Crane watched her approaching from the porch swing, they're eyes met as she headed up the stairs.

They both looked away quickly

"You know, I could've picked you up" Abbie said as reached the top of the stairs.

"It's alright Leftenant I needed to clear my head."

" So soon after your walk home last night, Crane am I really that hard to live with?"

"No, that isn't what I meant, I just enjoyed the time to myself."

"Of course you did, you always seem to enjoy your time away from me" She snapped

"That's not true" He countered

"It was for 9 months" She whispered

"Abbie I don't enjoy being away from"

"We should eat first, fettucine alfredo isn't as good microwaved"

Crane held the door open for her, she crossed the threshold.

He bolted the door behind them.

* * *

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Next Up Part Four - Let Me In (Part One)


	3. Let Me In (Part One)

I hope you all really enjoy this chapter, it's longer than the others and it's just the beginning to this madness

\- Kay

Please Read & Review

* * *

As excellent as Abbie said this Italian cuisine from Bella Luca's would be, every bite Ichabod ate felt like coarse sand paper sliding down his throat. She didn't seem to fair better, Abbie's head was trained on her to- go container of pasta. She took another sip of her white wine while she swirled her fork around in the fettuccine noodles but she had stopped eating a while ago, she hadn't looked him in the eye since she came home.

They ate in silence when dinner had ended Abbie didn't bother to clear the table like usual, she didn't fuss at Ichabod over clearing away the leftovers or even washing the dishes. She simply walked into the living room, kicked off her shoes, placed her wine glass on the coffee table and sat on the couch.

She had that stony look on her face, the one she always took on when they were facing another enemy, a demon, a monster, she had her war face on.

* * *

Ichabod wiped his mouth on a paper towel embroidered with the words "Bella Luca's" on it. Drinking the bitter beer to cut through the richness of the creamy meal, he takes the last sip of his India Pale Ale , putting his fork aside Ichabod removes his coat and shuffles over to the fridge and grabs another a beer. He walks into the living room leaving his boots by the door. He sits in the chair next to her. Their eyes met.

"You drink too much, Crane"

"Says the lady with the Olivia Pope Camille wine glass half filled with white wine" He snapped at her "It is your third glass isn't it, Leftenant, must everything that I do bother you, it's so impossible to please you when you're like this."

"Please me, you thought you were pleasing me before?"

"We could at least talk to one another, openly not all this scurrying about and having secrets."

"Crane I'm not the one sneaking into your bedroom, holding your ass at night."

"Leftenant, I … I only wanted to comfort you"

"I didn't ask for your company, Crane or your comfort. I didn't say that it was ok. You had no right to be in my room, let alone my bed. Boundaries remember that asshole. Boundaries"

"Excuse me for my next statement Leftenant. Fuck your boundaries and fences. You and I both know you have been holding back from me from the moment I returned home. You couldn't even hug me after I'd been released from jail."

"Are you serious?" Abbie asked

"Of course I am serious. Besides the fact that you think I'm a dandy prat, you were so damned angry, set in your contempt for me that you would not even eat. So please, be a dear and tell me how you could ever think that I am happy being without you, Leftenant, how on earth could you ever think that I _enjoy_ being parted from you Leftenant? Ichabod asked

Abbie looked away and took a deep breath "Hell, what else am I supposed to think? Crane you stayed in lock up five whole days before you even called me. I didn't want to hug your ass, so now I'm horrible person or something for not telling you every little aspect of my life now? Does that bother you, does that annoy you, Crane?"

"When I left, that had nothing to do with you,"

"Nothing to do with me, " She giggled "are you even listening to yourself Crane, we were a team, you and me, and you just left and you didn't even tell me you were leaving. You didn't even say goodbye"

"I told you"

"No you didn't"

"Leftenant"

"You didn't." Abbie vehemently said "You said you needed time, not that your ass was hitch hiking back to mother England. And of course I understood. I always do." She snapped

"That's not fair"  
"Your damn right it's not fair, to me"

"To you?"

"Yes. Me."

"After everything that I went through I wasn't ready to talk "

"You, it's always got to be about you. You're an insensitive asshole sometimes Crane. You know that. Pull the stick from your ass every once in a while please"

"Leftenant"

"You don't get to call me that right now" Abbie snapped as she took a few sips of her white wine.

"Abbie, everything that I believed for my whole life, my marriage to Katrina, all the things I worked so hard for before, it was a lie.

"So you want to be a dead man?" Abbie laughed "You'd rather be dead than be here with me. Wow"

"Stop it, stop it now, stop putting words in my mouth, I never said that Abbie. I didn't say that I just meant"

"Then what the fuck is it?! What do you mean? I understand that this is hard for you Crane, it's not fair, it doesn't even make sense but this is our life. This is where we are."

* * *

"Death haunts me. Literally, last I recall you've met him. Remember. And just being all of who I am is exhausting. So when you fell asleep on the couch a few nights back and you started talking to me in your sleep. I just I wanted to comfort you and I did, at the time it seemed to help you. I have been in your room almost each night since you've let me stay here. I always hold you; you always sleep better when I hold you. But I understand that you no longer want me around. All I do is breed more chaos in your life. As you always state I bitched out"

"Crane, you know I want you" The words fell from her lips before she could catch them, she said … we were called for this, I want you to be here. Crane, your marriage may have been a lie but our calling, our duties as witnesses, that isn't a lie, that was always the truth, it still is."

"How can you say that no one wants you that I don't want you, God Crane I traveled through time for you. I sacrificed myself for you. I may not know what it means to live like that every day, but I know how it feels, to be ostracized and manipulated just by existing, you know my people have a whole history with that. When I traveled back to 1781 your commanding office wanted to send me to a slave encampment. I risked everything, for you"

"Abbie, you know that I would never have let them take you away from me. I would never have let them make you a slave. Never, in any lifetime. I know of the ills of slavery, I fought against that atrocity. I would have gladly died to protect you from that; I would never let them have you. Never. "

Ichabod swore.

"Yet, you do not know how it feels to be someone where everyone you know is dead, all of your friends, your family, your comrades, your mentors. You don't know what it's like to be a living corpse"

"Crane shut up. Just listen to me" Abbie started

"I went to purgatory for you and your witch wife Katrina. You barely even asked me how I felt. You don't know half of the shit that happened to me while I was there. Do you even give a care? I couldn't sleep for weeks, every night I had the same dream. The same horrifying dream that I was stuck there in purgatory, that I had drank the water that you gave me and I just fooled myself into believing that I was safe with you. That none of this was even happening and each morning I woke up, not worried about me, not even Jenny, it was you, it's always you."

"Abbie, I know about the dreams."

"Let me finish, Crane. I'm giving you everything, I have never stopped and all you can say is you lost yourself. Sometimes I feel like I don't even know who I am anymore. Am I your friend, you partner, your property, your what?! This shit is taking over my life and …God… I don't know. I hate you sometimes, I hate this. I hate you so much, you just make me sick. Sometime I just want to fucking shoot you and run away. Just leave you to face these demons alone and run"

"I don't feel sorry for you Crane, not anymore. When you left, I thought I was alone. That you just fucking bitched out and left me here to fight this shit by myself. That you just abandoned me. There were times when I thought horrible things had happened to you. Because I knew you wouldn't just up and leave me. But you did. I keep saying I forgive you, I honestly don't know how to even start. I don't even know if I want to. I hate you sometimes. Do you know that I hate that I want you more than you want yourself."

* * *

Ichabod's eyes where glistening, he had heard enough "Abbie, I need some air" He sat his beer on the table and stood up from his chair and started for the door off the laundry room, he didn't even bother to put his boots on.

Abbie was hot on heels, "Go ahead run away, you coward, it's what you do, you didn't need no damn air when I was asleep, when I couldn't really tell you about this shit" She yelled

"I need to just breathe for a minute can I just have a minute to breathe" he yelled, he had heard enough. Everything she said was true deep down he knew it but he still didn't like where this was headed still didn't like fighting not like this. Not with the person he needed the most.

"And Crane" Abbie started as his had touched the doorknob to the side door "I am glad that bitch is dead and her demon seed too"

As soon as the words slipped out she regretted them. Abbie promised herself, promised them both that they would go to war, and that they would win and they couldn't do that if she wasn't honest. They couldn't do that if he wouldn't fight with her.

 _We can't beat this if you run away again Crane._

"What did you just say?" Ichabod's raspy voice asked as he stopped in front of the side door off the laundry room. His eyes taking in Abbie's reflection from doors glass panel.

"You heard me, you had every right to protect yourself" Abbie remarked. Ichabod moved towards her invading her space, towering over her

His eyes landed on hers, she was looking up at him her look of defiance plastered on her face through her tears that began to fall.

"Take it back"

She looked up into his alice-blue eyes and told him "I meant every word I just said. I will not ever take it back. She tried to murder you and me, the witch damn near succeeded twice. Henry tried to kill us almost every other week. I'm happy their gone and deep down you are too. I don't care what demon, witch, warlock creature or monster it is if I have to choose between them or us, them or you it's always going to be us, it's always going to be you. Crane, I hate that we had to be the ones who did it but you and I both know they wanted us both dead and buried. Crane. Both of us, you know it."

"Crane, it is okay to be angry about what she did to you, about the lies. It's alright to be hurt about it. I just wish you wouldn't have shut me out. I was there through everything else. I was always there for you. I always will be. We bonded, I guess, I just thought we would get through this shit together, I thought I meant more to you than that. I thought we were partners."

"Abbie we are partners" Ichabod interjects as he reaches for her

She jerked away from him as she wiped at her tears "I thought that we meant more to each other than that, I guess I was wrong. I guess there are some places inside you I just can't reach and I'm trying to learn to be okay with that, I hate it but I am trying to learn to be fine with it. Ok."

Abbie left him standing in-between the kitchen and the laundry room, finally overcome by her emotions, she let herself cry. She motioned towards the stairs. Ichabod ran and slid in front of them just in time to block her. She wanted a fight, now she had one. She wanted it all out on the table, now it would be.

"It's my turn to speak now Abbie." He said pointing his finger in her face, "I am not let you go upstairs, we are not going to sleep on this, not anymore"

"Get it out of my face Crane, before I bite it off."

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this one


	4. Let Me In ( Part Two and Three)

I really am sorry it's late. Like almost two weeks late. Like Kay partied way too much LATE. Here it is.

\- Kay

* * *

 **Chapter 5 Let Me In (Part Two)**

They stood in front of the stairs for what seemed like forever. Abbie took a seat on the second to last stair and looked over to him as Ichabod sat down beside her. She laid all of her cards on the table and it felt good to let it all out yet she knew she had to allow Ichabod to express himself just as she had. Abbie sighed as Ichabod grasped her hand. This wouldn't be easy but at least now she could feel something genuine from him.

Ichabod cleared his throat

"I first discovered your gift for talking in your sleep there, in that very living room. You had come home late, exhausted from your day we had fallen asleep watching The Vikings. I grabbed a blanket to warm you and you started yelling, quite profoundly, at me. First I thought you were possessed by a demon sent from Pandora, but after a few nights and a much needed google search, I knew it was how you truly felt. What bothered me most is each time when you awoke you had absolutely no recollection of anything you said to me, not a single word."

"Oh my God, I always thought Jenny was lying about that, I guess it's true. Crane it isn't something that I can control, I don't know when I'm doing it."

Biting his lower lip he grimaced "That only makes it all the more worse, I researched your condition, I know you can't control what you say during those times and that it is your subconscious mind taking over. Yet, I never thought that this would be us, I never thought that the one person in the world who I am closest to could harbor so much pain, because of me, because of what I put you through."

"That still doesn't explain what I woke up to. It doesn't explain you holding me the way you did."

"Was it really so uncomfortable for you?

"That's not the point. We agreed that we would live her under a certain set of rules. You doing my laundry and sleeping in bed with me wasn't a part of that."

"You didn't answer my question Abbie. So much for sharing and honesty I want you to know that this is your fault."

"How is it my fault?!"

"You did this." He chided

"How, how am I responsible for what you did?"

"The very first time I wandered into your room. I sat on the floor listening to you yell at me, when you became quiet, I motioned to leave like usual but you asked me to stay. I don't know how you knew I was about to leave but you did. What does that say about us, what does that say about those fragile little boundaries we're supposed to abide by?" He snapped

Abbie snapped at him "I asked you to stay with me?" Abbie whispered a statement that was more for her than him.

"It was more of a dare really you acted like you hated me. I have stayed by your side every night since, whenever I could."

"Crane sometimes boundaries are necessary,"

"Not between us, so you can just stop acting so innocent. For God sake just stop trying to fix me I know I am a shell of the man I used to be, you don't have to go pointing it out all the time. I can take it from strangers, I really don't give a damn about their arbitrary judgement or opinions of me, I cannot take that from you. I can't."

"That is not how I see you."

"Yes it is."

"I've seen the man you were before and you're still that same Captain I met in 1781. I see you Ichabod Crane, even if you can no longer see yourself and I don't pity you."

"Yes you do, you have been coddling me, like a child since day one of this relationship. Your right I haven't been quite up to par lately, but when you look at me like I'm a wayward child it bothers me. You just see me as this wretched fragile old man and maybe I am but your comment about fences and boundaries is horse shit. Yes we've established that I deserve it. I deserve to be shut out, but not at the expense of you subconsciously harboring hatred for me. Not at the expense of you hurting yourself."

"I understand that this life is an adjustment but how could you feel like that. I do not hate you. I wish I could that has been the problem ever since you decided to run away."

"I know that I am to blame, my colonial baggage is at fault. It doesn't help when I come home and I have to face up to the life that you have. The one life you truly desire and strive so hard for and I have to acknowledge that I can never cross this veil. I'll never be a modern man. In my time men bought the food, the clothes, the medical supplies, men where providers. I used to be like that and being here in your beautiful house, watching you work and pay mortgages. It baffles me that you wish me to be here with you. I am a deficit and I am not sure what skills I have that would warrant the hospitality that you've given me."

"We're supposed to support each other, the whole world is counting on us and you are hung up on this?"

"It would seem so."

* * *

 **Chapter 6 Let Me In (Part Three)**

The air around them was charged with energy even though they gave up talking over ten minutes ago. Each time someone was about to speak they would stop. Finally, Ichabod's voice chased away the silence as he gave in.

"Abbie, last night was the first time I actually fell asleep with you in bed. I usually just hold you and leave right before you awake but you caught me this time."

"So how was it?" She said he voice tense and guarded

"What do you mean?" He exhaled a long breath he had been holding since this conversation began.

"You know" Abbie pressed "How was it?"

"It was very peaceful actually. I saw your face before I fell asleep. You finally let go just a little, you found comfort in my arms just as much as I did in yours" Ichabod reached over and found her hand and gave it a little squeeze as he said the words. "You placed your tiny little hand on my chest. It felt right. It was perfect. "

"Comfort?"

"Yes, is that word contaminated or something?"

"No" Abbie shook her head and looked a looked straight ahead at the front door as her hand slipped from his. "Wasn't something like that taboo for someone from your time? Indecent or something"

Ichabod smiled as the words left her lips "I may seem like a prudish asshole as you so adequately remind me but there are no indecencies among us. It felt right because, it was what we both needed."

"So I needed your ass to sneak into my room and climb in to my bed and tuck me in?" Abbie giggled and slapped her right knee "You must have been really fucking comfy then, seeing as though I woke up with your long ass leg over me. Not to mention your morning surprise" Abbie sighed "Crane, you can't keep doing this. We can't blur the lines of our relationship"

"The lines have been blurred since the day we met. You may not want to broach the subject but as you have stated before we are so much more than friends. You didn't seem to have a problem with it this morning when you kept moving about, didn't seem like you were in a rush trying to get away from me. Do you really want to know why you found me in your bed?"

"No, Crane I did all of this not to know why?" She sarcastically chided

"Have you noticed that you haven't had the nightmares about purgatory lately?"

"But that doesn't have anything to do with this" Abbie countered

Ichabod shook his head from side to side fast enough to give himself whiplash.

"It has everything to do with it. When I'm holding you it feels like nothing bad can penetrate through us. As if being together, cancels out all of the evil that seeks to undo the righteousness of this world. Abbie, when I left and went back to England I was tortured every night with dreams of watching Katrina harm you or watching her try to kill me."

"When I didn't have to endure those it was like my subconscious mind kept reminding me that I had killed her that my own hands had taken her life. I used to wake up tormented. After everything that happened I wanted to talk to you about it but broaching the subject seemed to make you uncomfortable and I was so self-involved that I didn't make the effort to help you like I should have and that lead us here."

"I guess deep down I knew that nothing good could come from leaving. I just did not have the power within me anymore to stay. To be honest I did not have a plan to do anything when I left. It started off simply as a walk that turned into this mess that's between us. I wanted to feel like before when I was a man of status and knowledge, when I used to be stronger than this. When I wasn't a misunderstood mockery the world views as a spectacle cosplayer from colonial times. I just wanted it all to stop but it didn't. It all became so pervasive. It overwhelmed me"

"We all have times when we want to give up Crane I just couldn't believe you did. You know I wouldn't allow myself to believe you left. I took over a week for me to even think that you would hurt me like that, that you could just take off and hurt me like that." Abbie snapped as she stood up and moved away from the stairs.

"I guess that makes me the weakest witness. I used to be strong and certain like you. I once wore that hat but I guess I'm just not as strong as you are anymore." Ichabod held his head in his hands the entirety of the argument pressing down on him.

"I didn't need you to be invincible Crane. I just needed you to be here. I wanted you to be here."

"I made a mistake and I'm getting to know that now. I am truly sorry for all that I've done to you. It was never my intention but it happened because I was not able to see past myself. I could not see past 1781 and I regret what led to this distance between us. But I don't want this. I don't want to be separate from you. I never wanted that. It has never given me joy to be away from you, I just wanted to feel like I belong here. I just wanted some validation that outside of being a witness I have a purpose living in this time."

"Please do not take this the wrong way. Abbie I had to know if I could make it out there, if I could stand on my own two feet without always knowing that you would be there to catch me. After what happened I punished myself, I killed her. Deep down, I thought it would break me, in its own way it did because I thought I would experience this deep sense of loss for her love, but that isn't what I felt. When the knife entered her heart I felt horrible for what I had done but I was also relieved. I was glad that she was gone but tortured because I had to kill her. What kind of man does that make me? "

"That's why you should've stayed. We could've worked through it together. Crane, you think you murdered Katrina? It was self-defense she tried to kill you in both lifetimes."

"You're right, but that doesn't change how it made me feel. From the moment Katrina was in this world I thought I would be happy, but it didn't feel right anymore, she was jealous of our relationship. I tried to be like before but nothing was the same and I couldn't go back to that type of existence. All of the lies just took their toll on me. I failed you because of it and I hate myself for it. Yet, the bond we share, even as fractured as it is, it can withstand nearly anything, if we allow it to."

"Crane it's going to be ok. I already forgave you."

"Did you really?"

"I told you I did" She yelled

"Then prove it, I dare you. I wager that you haven't really forgiven me at all."

"Fine," Abbie said as she moved towards the steps, she walked upstairs to the very top and yelled down to him. "Let's go to bed, together. This way we can both stop lying to each other."

"Your room or mine?" Ichabod asked, the words hung in the air.

Abbie never verbally answered him. She simply waited until he followed her to her bedroom door.

"We don't have to do this, Abbie."

"Yes, we do."

* * *

I hope it was worth the wait guys. Reviews are always nice


	5. I Dare You to Dream With Me

Hope you all enjoy this Chapter, it's only one more left after this one. Then one to the next series!

Enjoy

\- Kay

* * *

 _Should I really do this, am I even ready?_

 _Sleeping together was the best I could come up with. Jesus Abbie you're losing it. He's already living here. Now you've invited him right into your bed. God Mama would kick my ass. But, he probably would just sneak in anyway like last night._

 _He went for it._

 _God, he really went for it._

 _He walked right up to me_

 _He followed me to my bedroom door._

 _We're doing this._

 _I'm doing this._

Abbie kept playing his words over and over in her head. No matter how she tried to relax she couldn't, not even during her shower.

 _"Your room or mine?"_

Abbie listened to Crane's voice echo throughout the corners of her mind. The way he turned towards her and looked her straight in the eyes as he started up the stairs. There was no shame involved, there was nothing but that arrogant know it all expression that Crane usually had plastered on his face when he knew the endgame.

 _He's such a smartass_

He issued her a dare, so she threw it back in his face by challenging him, she just never expected that he would react the way he did. That he would take her up on the offer. That he would go for it that he wouldn't give his 'oh god no. I'm a gentleman' expression.

It wasn't the first time she heard him say something like that. But this time was different, this time it wasn't a harmless tease. This time even the air around them felt electrically charged. As mad as she was, she had to admit things between them were complicated.

In the past, even when he was married, they always teased each other and at times the games between them where inappropriate but he always backed down and she always let it go. But now there was nothing between them, no demonic son or wicked wife, no friend turned demonic henchmen, no dark angel bent on destroying the world. None of those things were an issue anymore there was only the two of them.

Standing in the shower she switched on the water, she had to admit that it was something watching him walk towards her, his face was nothing but a mask of determination and something she wasn't sure if she was ready to acknowledge yet.

Abbie sighed as water raining down on her began to gain its warmth for a moment she could see the prideful captain that she met in an ancient jail cell in 1781 it was as if time had warped itself and even the glare in his eyes became enthralling... Her hands cupped her breast and roamed over her body traveling lower and lower.

The way he strode up the stairs, how his long legs ate up the space within seconds, and the expression on his face when he looked down at her after reaching the top. There was something insatiable there, he was confidence personified. He called her bluff.

It was the first time she had seen him look strong, since he came home.

Seated on the showers bench, the clean little bubbles streamed down the drain and she leaned her head back against the shower wall as her legs drew closer to her body as they arched on the showers bench, her eyes closed as she found her slick center.

* * *

Abbie sat on her bed cross-legged dressed in only an oversized sheer light pink night dress and a navy lacy thong. If he wouldn't back down then she wouldn't either, all's fair in war. Besides, it was the kind of thing she usually slept in no need for changing things now.

There was a small tap on her door before he entered. His hair was damp and Crane had on a pair of black yoga pants and a white v neck tee. He slowly walked over to the opposite side of the bed.

"May I?" He asked as his index finger drew little circles on top of her duvet.

"You know I invited you this time right?"

"I know that but I just wanted to make sure that you were still comfortable with this."

"It's a bit awkward"

"If this causes you discomfort then I should leave"

"No wait. Stop, I don't want you to go. Crane just sit down and hear me out." He sat on the bed and watched her as she ran her hands through her hair.

"I think, I was just talking out of my ass before, but I had some time to think about it. I think it is better that we do this. I mean I don't want any secrets between us and if you're just going to sneak in later... I really am okay with it."

"If you want me to stop, Abbie I will. Initially it seemed like the only way to reach you."

"I understand, I was trying to protect myself"

"You were protecting yourself from me?"

"Yes, from you. You're the only person who knows me and when you left, I felt like you took everything with you. You're the first witness, not me you're where there when all of this began. I felt abandoned by you, by our purpose, by God, by Frank, by everyone. That was why I left home"

"I am so sorry Abbie. I didn't do it to hurt you, but I regret that I did."

"I know that. I'm glad that we're doing this. Talking, being honest with each other. It's the only way it works and I need you. Sometimes I hate that I do but, I do and I'm never going to apologize for that to anyone, even you. So don't ever run away without me again."

"I won't"

"You better not."

* * *

"Crane before we go any further with this, I have something else I need to ask you." She put her hand in his and gave it a tiny squeeze.

"Of course, ask me anything."

Abbie looked into his eyes and asked "Did something happen last night? I mean, you know, did you like, do anything to me?"

Ichabod's face was in complete terror. "You have to know that I would never take advantage of you. The very insinuation that you would think that I would dare"

"Crane, I just, I thought that I felt something last night. There was like this feeling or something. I don't know."

"Whatever you're trying to say Abbie, just say it, please"

"I mean, I just felt this ... shiver, this thing, that slowly traveled up my arm and across my chest" Abbie's eyes settled on him as she made the motion with her fingers, retracing the trail of the path on her body the night before. I didn't mean to accuse you of anything. I'm sorry alright."

Ichabod's face paled as he watched her tiny finger retrace the path his had taken the night before "Oh God ..."

"What?"

"Last night, when I entered the bed with you I noticed that your camisole strap had slipped off your shoulder into the crease of your elbow. I wouldn't have touched you that way without your consent but you were exposed to me and I only meant to cover you. I admit that maybe I shouldn't have rearranged your clothing. A woman as beautiful as you should be cherished Abbie, if I made you feel taken advantage of or victimized by me that is never what I wanted I just want to be closer to you. It's all that I want."

"Well, I usually sleep alone so being exposed doesn't really bother me. Before you moved in I didn't wear much of anything to bed."

"You're not wearing much now." He joked

"You don't like what I'm wearing, Ichabod Crane?"

"No, noo not at all" he stumbled over the words as he said them his hand twirling the edge of the bedcovers. His eyes seemed stuck on the duvet as if the fabric had morphed into somewhat of an interesting pattern.

"Crane, I'm ready for bed, let's get some sleep"

Ichabod looked up to see Abbie reaching for the lamp beside her bed, the edge of the pink nightshirt dress riding up. Her undergarments revealed.


	6. Good Morning - The Final Chapter

Author's Note: Thanks for reading this fic guys, this is the last chapter of this series. It took me a while to upload this and I apologize but I hope you enjoy it. So tell me what you think of it.

\- Kay

Note: This chapter is rated (M)

* * *

Ichabod watched her as she struggled, her simple ceramic lamp too tall for her arms to reach. In truth he could have stopped her, leaned over and offered to help but the way she bit her lip as she fumbled around left him awestruck. It was something so simple but the look on her face as she did it before she turned towards the lamp, that look would be haunting his eidetic memory for the rest of his life.

The sharp line of her eyebrows furrowed, her full lips set in a small grimace. Her eyes glued to the small black switch.

She was everything he wasn't and he was alright with that for the first time in months he felt like he belonged, right beside her.

She was determined and relentless. She could have asked him for help or simply gotten out of the bed to reach the switch to turn off the light, but no Abbie would never surrender. Even in the smallest of matters she was always strong. She was radiant and that illumination only shown through more, even as she struggled beside him scantily clad in nothing but a bit of mesh and string.

 _Why on earth did she procure such ... garments?_

 _Doesn't she feel the draft?_

The pale pink night shirt rode up with each attempt she made.

The gyrations of her ass gently swaying left to right. A smirk started on his lips as he observed her, on all fours one arm reaching for the lamp, her other arm bracing her on a small stack of silky white pillows, she nearly lost her balance.

"DAMN IT"

"Abbie" He lunged and grasped her just in time before she fell over the edge.

There she was before him sprawled out in what Abbie and Miss Jenny jokingly called "butt floss" ... on their shopping adventures.

He had never seen one up close before, he never seen a garment like this on his Leftenant. He hoped to see many more in the future.

 _I want to take it off using only my mouth_

 _Would you enjoy that Abbie?_

He fell silent as his eyes landed on the embroidery of the lace trim of her dark undergarment. That little mesh garment she called a shirt was laughable, it neither covered nor warmed her, it was as if she wasn't wearing a thing.

Almost as if she wanted him to see her like this.

 _Perhaps we are ready to be something more._

* * *

Abbie's body stilled as she felt his hands reach underneath her mesh top. His long fingers teased her nipples as she felt the tickle of his beard against the tender flesh of her neck.

She was impressed his arms were so long that she didn't even see them coming as his hands snuck up her top.

"Crane, what are you doing?"

Crane startled her as he kissed her ankles starting from the bottom up, tentatively, lavishing the back of her legs with tiny fiery kisses that made her squirm

He took his time, watched her as goosebumps appeared on the back of her legs as he blew on the very spots that he had kissed.

There was a contrast between the navy fabric separating the cheeks of her voluptuous ass. He planted hot little kisses there on her right cheek. His hands kneaded her ass like fresh dough and he wanted to feel the heat from her oven. She stilled beneath him her breaths coming out in small sighs.

The sound that she gave in return was one he had never heard, something as wonderful as that sound from Abbie, that mewling, was to be savored. The way it made all of the hair on his chest stand on end, he hadn't felt that feeling before. He hadn't felt wanted like that in so long from her.

Ichabod was hovering just above her as her arms trembled he didn't recall placing his leg in between hers. He didn't know how they had become like simple minded teenagers completely overwhelmed by desire.

He leaned away just enough to shower the nape of her neck with kisses. He lost track of time suckling at her tender flesh there. She gasped when his fingers rubbed against her heat the silk of her thong was damp with expectation, giving odd pleasure to his fingers as he gently strokes her.

Her undergarment had served its purpose, the damp cloth keeping her covered had become an annoyance he no longer desired. He took her from behind, his hands working their magic.

The very line of her was lovely, her eyes were closed and her face was tilted down, damn near into her pillow, her mouth slightly open, her back angled perfectly, her legs a spread as she encourages him to take her, to go deeper. He removes his fingers one by one, whispering her name, he begs her to turn over.

"I want see your face"

Abbie obliges him, looks him in the eyes, and wraps her hands around his neck. Together they lay there, the nightstand lamp long forgotten as their foreheads touch. The only sound in the room is that of their own breathing and the hum of the ceiling fan above them, spinning in circles.

* * *

Secretly, this is what she had dreamed about since the day she met him, to know what it would feel like to be in his arms completely. There was nothing between them now. Something inside her had always thought of him as hers since the moment she told him "Do you see this gun, I'm authorized to use it on you"

He asked her to turn around, said he wanted see her.

He placed his forehead against hers as he lay on top of her careful not to allow his body to crowd her.

Reaching over into her nightstand she grabbed what they needed.

"Here let's get these off " Abbie's hands gently worked his shirt and sweats off, smiling she noted that Crane never wore underwear at home when he wasn't forced to.

"Abbie, can you do it" He whispered

"Crane"

"Would you do it, you know, put it on me. I've never really" Her hand squeezed his shoulder as she opened the foil with her teeth, turning away from him.

 _Of course he's never used one before_. Duh.

Crane's nervous laughter was cut off as Abbie enveloped him with her mouth it wasn't a smooth process, she'd never put one on this way. But everything was different with Crane. She liked _different._

After she was sure it was correctly in place she teased him and admired the thick vein that shown up his shaft. She grabbed him in places that made his voice thick and raspy as he mumbled her name.

She even let his hands roam through her hair

Abbie kissed his adams apple and watched as his eyes fluttered open.

"Leftenant, that was, that was ... magnificent"

She stole his words with a kiss as she straddled him, she had enough of this teasing. She just wanted him.

They found their rhythm easily, they laughed at the throaty groans Crane made after she pulled his hair.

Crane was Crane even in bed. When she was close to losing it he bet her that she could not hold out any longer. He challenged her even in this, his hands guided her movements with dominance and she loved him when he was like this. Abbie leaned back and let him hold her as she fell apart. His arms kept her up as she collapsed. Ever the gentleman he tumbled down from his high right after her. Somehow they went from making love to fucking and it was perfect, it was better than she could've imagined because it was real.

They lie there in a heap on the bed.

Their bodies tangled up like pretzels knots.

The only sound besides their breathing was the hum of the fan spinning around in circles.

Cranes lashes swept up as he came to, he blinked a few times before his eyes settled on Abbie. He gave her the pleasure of going first but there she was beside him.

She spoke before she opened her eyes

"The way you held me, so tight, like I were glass. No one's ever held me like that. Sorry, if I was a little wild."

"No Leftenant, you were a Goddess, I've never seen anything more beautiful than your passion. You slay me, the feel of you around me, Abbie" his voice trailed off as he kissed her shoulder

He gathered her in his arms and they watched as the sun peaked through the clouds from her window.

"Good Morning, Crane"

"Good Morrow, Leftenant"


End file.
